West Kirby Town: narrow gauge may be coming to town.

[Hroth]

I caught the beginning of the match when Hull were 1-0 up. Knowing how I jinx any team I want to win by watching them, I quickly switched away, though I fear that it's my fault that Everton had to work so hard for the win!

 

Good luck with your signals!

 

[Dmudriver]

I've finally got the signals working!!  Not by wiping the control board clean or changing servos, though!  To be honest, I don't know exactly what I was doing wrong: however, it was something to do with the sequence of plugging connections in, switching the power on and the position of the Safe Mode switch.  As I've now got them working, I'm not going to wrack my brain trying to work out what I did/didn't do!!  Life's too short!  Here's some pics to show the signals at work: apologies for the fuzziness of them - the camera focussed on the scene behind**, but you get the gist of what's happening!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unfortunately the light in the ground signal isn't working so that raises a question for the signalling experts out there: does the lack of a light constitute a signal "improperly shown"?  Any approach to that signal would be at low speed anyway, the driver having been cautioned by the late clearing of the preceding Outer Home signal.

 

Hopefully we'll get a bit of decent weather soon so that I can get the covers off and get some running and videoing done.

 

More soon.

 

 

Rod

 

**  Maybe I should have used "macro mode".

Edited January 16, 2022 by Dmudriver
To add **

[Hroth]

Very nice, macro mode might be the answer, you could have been too close to focus on the signal. In the real world, the theatre indicator was very useful for passengers in the know, you could get to the right door to leave the train before any one else!

[5BarVT]

20 hours ago, Dmudriver said:

does the lack of a light constitute a signal "improperly shown"

I fear so.  For a semaphore, it’s the complete signal that creates the identity, especially at night.

This is one of those situations where you think it’s so simple it must be obvious, but rules would be applied.

Paul.

[Simond]

I suspect I’d ask @Jon Fitness

Edited January 17, 2022 by Simond

[5BarVT]

I’d go for The Stationmaster - it’s a rules & regs question more than signalling!

Paul.

[Jon Fitness]

Hmph. That was working ok when it left here. 

JF

 

Edited January 17, 2022 by Jon Fitness

[Hal Nail]

27 minutes ago, Jon Fitness said:

That was working ok when it left here. 

That's what Toon fans are saying about Rafa.

[gismorail]

I bet your a happy bunny now the red is out of the Bed ……so who’s next for the toffees 

[pwr]

HI Rod

 

Just sent you a couple of photos via DM

 

Paul R

[Dmudriver]

14 hours ago, Jon Fitness said:

Hmph. That was working ok when it left here. 

JF

 

 

Yes, it was, Jon. I suspect I've pulled a wire getting it through the hole in the baseboard. I'll take it out again and investigate. 

[Dmudriver]

6 hours ago, gismorail said:

I bet your a happy bunny now the red is out of the Bed ……so who’s next for the toffees 

 

Hi gismorail.  Yes, I'm happy he's gone, but only because of the results he wasn't getting.  I wasn't bothered that he previously managed across the Park (it was years ago!) and I really thought he could get us out of the mess we're in.  His signings have been good (apart from Rondon, tho' I could see the logic there) but I suspect it was his micromanaging that didn't go down too well with the existing players.  They certainly didn't look that motivated. 

 

Who's next?  I dread to think. We'll probably end up with Big Sam again!!!!

Edited January 18, 2022 by Dmudriver

[Regularity]

25 minutes ago, Dmudriver said:

Who's next?  I dread to think. We'll probably end up with Big Sam again!!!!

Only if the Allardyce are already cast…

[Barnaby]

Big Dunk until season end then Rooney with big D. to assist.

[Dmudriver]

3 hours ago, Barnaby said:

Big Dunk until season end then Rooney with big D. to assist.

 

Wouldn't disagree with that, Barnaby.

[Dmudriver]

The weather was decent today - if cold!! - so I decided to see if I could do a bit of running (even though that signal light needs investigating).

 

The 08's done a lot of running recently so I thought I'd put the 03 on in its place.   Got it out of its storage box, only to find the Slater's coupling on the match truck had come apart.  Fixed that then coupled the 2 together to get running again.  Which the loco did - for a while!!  Then it started spluttering.  So I assumed dirty track - cleaned track, no better - dirty wheels?  Difficult to do as motor still spluttering but did most of them - and pickups as well.  No improvement but kept trying until eventually the thing just stopped.  No smoke, but did the sniff test just in case anything was burning, but nothing.  I'd already noticed something rattling when I turned it over to do the wheels but it turned out to be the driver who's come unstuck from his seat!!

 

Took the body off and found the problem:  the grey wire from the chip to the motor had broken.  How, I haven't a clue, but soldered it back on and then it ran much better, particularly once the stay-alive had got fully charged up.  Until it did, there wasn't even enough "oomph" to change the frog juicers - it just kept stalling on them.

 

However, something did happen to brighten the day up (No, Everton haven't got a new manager yet, but Big Duncan as interim will do for now!!) - this:

 

 

 

The loose driver had decided he'd had enough and wanted out!!!!  So I ran it like that for a while - just as well there are no overhead wires!!  He's now back in but can't be seen because of the muck on the windows, but that's another job on the list!!

 

I then put the 50 and 37 back on the layout, did a bit of shunting to get them in position for starting a running session - and then had to go out shopping.  By which time it was also getting colder and damper so I gave up for the day.  So much for a running/videoing session!   

 

And such are the joys of model railways!!   More soon.

 

 

Rod

[Dmudriver]

Now that I've dragged myself off the floor after Everton lost again, I've made some decisions (no, I'm not going to support Liverpool!!).

 

First decision relates to the unlit ground signal.  I've had a good look at it and fiddled with wiring but I cannot see where there might be a dodgy connection.  I've discussed it with Jon and it's possible the LED has given up the ghost.  However, I'm not going to send it back or try and fix it myself - I'll live with it.

 

The narrative will be that the failed light has been reported to S&T and we are waiting for them to come out and fix it.  In the meantime drivers will be told to obey the signal in daylight but in darkness they must stop, if they are expecting to be routed to the sidings or stabling point, and ring the box to check whether the signal is clear or not, whether or not they can see the disc.

 

This route is the least used on the layout (so far, but see next post!) and you can't see the light from the operating positions anyway!!

 

 

Rod

[Dmudriver]

2nd decision.

 

You may have noticed I've changed the title of the thread.  This is because I've been thinking about how to alter operations to make them more interesting and my current thinking is this:

 

Mail order is really picking up as a business (maybe there were lockdowns in the 70s/80s?) and traffic through WKT is going to pick up.  Added to which (although not directly related) the powers-that-be have decided to dispense with loco-hauled passenger stock on the medium distance routes to WKT and will roster DMUs in their place (much to the chagrin of regular travellers to Manchester and Birmingham!!).  They have also decided that where there are small flows of goods to Moreton - wagon loads mainly - then rather than direct everything to Chester or Crewe to be marshalled into a complete train, these vehicles will be brought to WKT as tail loads on DMUs.  There will then be a small marshalling operation at WKT to make up trains, depending on when the depot can receive the deliveries as they've limited unloading facilities at the present time.

 

In practical terms this means that I'll take the 4x Mark 1s off the layout and store them - in fact, I may even sell them if I can get a reasonable price for them.  It also means I'll start to increase the parcels stock on the layout - only a few years after thinning it out!!  I'm thinking of a couple of Dapol 12T fitted vans and building a couple of Sidelines vehicles - an ex-LMS 50' full brake and and ex-LMS Stove R.  I've also got an ex LNER (I think!) refrigerated van now converted to parcels use that needs painting.    So that would be another 5 vehicles that will run singly as opposed to being in fixed rakes.

 

I've done some research on what tail loads DMUs could haul and I'm a bit restricted with a power/trailer set (just one 12T vehicle) but the 128/116 set, the 131 and the 3-car 108 can haul at least one bogie vehicle so the operation could get interesting and the shunter will have a lot more work to do.  I'm not planning on allowing the Birkenhead services to have tail loads as it's an intensive service but Chesters, Crewes, Manchesters will.  Longer term thinking is to increase the DMU fleet with a 117 which would operate Shrewsbury/Birmingham services - again allowed to haul a tail load.

 

So that's the concept.  Now to carry it out!!  I was going into Tower Models today but rang up first to check their Dapol stock.  Unfortunately Roger isn't in today and the lad who was there didn't know, so I'll wait until Monday.  There's also the question of whether I fit Dinghams to my DMUs and I'm tending to lean towards doing that.  And then I'll have 2 brass kits to build - which I've been wanting to do for a while but had no justification - now I have got that!!

 

 

So that's the way my thinking's going,  I mentioned in the last post that signal 30 - with the failed light - might get more use, but on reflection maybe it's not that likely.  Tail load traffic will be behind passenger-carrying trains which will have to go to the platforms.  Shunting to the sidings will be via the Up Main and signals 44/36.  The only increase might be in parcels trains which are unable to access the platforms to be reversed but at the moment, I'm not sure how many that will be.

 

Keep watching this space!   More soon.

 

 

Rod

 

 

 

 

Edited January 22, 2022 by Dmudriver

[pwr]

Sounds Interesting Rod - I'll be watching for the first video

 

Paul R

[Jon Fitness]

A couple of the new Heljan CCTs would probably suit the service too Rod. They are horribly expensive though!

JF

 

[Dmudriver]

11 minutes ago, Jon Fitness said:

A couple of the new Heljan CCTs would probably suit the service too Rod. They are horribly expensive though!

JF

 

 

I looked at the MM1 kits, too, but they're also expensive! - in fact, not much less than the discounted Heljan RTR!

Edited January 23, 2022 by Dmudriver

[Hroth]

With MUs shuttling in and out, it'll look like WK does in real life...

 

Looking forward to seeing how the parcels trade develops!

[47606odin]

Does this mean if traffic builds, there’ll be the possibility of a TPO service in the morning and evening?

[pwr]

4 hours ago, 47606odin said:

Does this mean if traffic builds, there’ll be the possibility of a TPO service in the morning and evening?

 

You might struggle to find a kit for one of them?

 

Paul

Edited January 24, 2022 by pwr
speling

[Dmudriver]

16 hours ago, 47606odin said:

Does this mean if traffic builds, there’ll be the possibility of a TPO service in the morning and evening?

 

I don't think so!!  (apart from the kit question!)   Traffic through WKT is all inbound, so basically in bulk.  Traffic out from Moreton will be individual consignments - small items - so likely handled by Royal Mail or BR Parcels.  But the mail goes from Moreton to the central sorting office in Liverpool by road and the parcels to the BRS Parcels depot in Townsend Lane, also by road.  Larger consignments may be sent by rail from Moreton but won't be seen at WKT.

 

So there won't be a call for any Post Office/Royal Mail vehicles at all.  Sorry to disappoint, 47076odin!